


ink flowers still need light to grow

by superglo



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Awkward Flirting, F/M, M/M, Multi, Pining, Polyamory, hq secret valentines exchange, oh god it's fluffy, would ya believe it is another one of those AUs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 06:52:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9808112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superglo/pseuds/superglo
Summary: Kageyama and Yachi are colleagues at a tattoo parlour. Hinata is a clumsy newbie florist. The tattoo artists want to smother him in beautiful tattoos and love. Hinata is just trying to figure out how flowers work.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is @yachihtoka's gift for the hq secret valentine exchange! I'm sorry it's late, and I hope you like it.
> 
> (TBH I wanted to improve and work on this even more, but I also wanted to get it to you before it was too late!)
> 
> Please enjoy this ridiculous fluff fest, happy belated valentines day!!

“Hitoka.” Kageyama nodded to Yachi, as he stepped into the tattoo parlour, _The Crow_.

“Hi, Tobio,” she answered, smiling as she wiped down the tattoo chair with disinfectant. Kageyama set down his coffee, tearing bites off a donut. Morning sun slid through the window, sinking into the room and the quiet. He basked in the silence, gazing at the designs which hung on the walls. Mostly birds, which was this tattoo parlour’s specialty. Yachi loved drawing phoenixes and other mystical birds. Their boss, Akaashi specialized in owls. Kageyama liked drawing birds, but if he was being honest, he liked drawing plants the most.

That’s one of the reasons he was so thrilled that a florist had just opened up in the shop downstairs. The other was… also maybe the young man who’d started working there at the same time.

The door clanged open, the first appointment of the day. Kageyama gulped his coffee. He had birds to draw. 

\---

At lunchtime, Kageyama sat in the café across from the tattoo parlour and the florist. He stared out the window, eyes lingering on the sea of flowers in the afternoon sun. While she knew Kageyama liked drawing flowers, Yachi wasn’t fooled, as she pulled up a seat and sat down across from him, jerking him out of his reverie. She winked. “Seen him yet?”

Kageyama grumbled. “…No.” She sighed, “Me neither,” as she tucked into her sandwich.

“He’s so… bright. His hair is so fluffy. I want to touch it,” she said wistfully, chewing.

Kageyama snorted, but his ears were turning red. “You’re just as lovesick, Tobio. Don’t try to run from it.” He ignored this comment, dragging his eyes away from the window, turning his attention back to his food. Yachi gasped, and he swung abruptly towards the window, eyes searching, and found nothing but flowers. A giggle followed, and he glared at the woman opposite him. “See? You’re on the watch for our boy,” she laughed. “Our boy?” he asked, tentatively. Yachi smiled, with just a tiny bit of hesitation, before it disappeared from her face. “Yeah. Ours,” she said, firmly. His eyes dipped, staring at his muffin, before looking back up at Yachi’s face. Her hair glinted gold as she tilted her head, looking back at him. There were crumbs on her cheek. He reached up, long, ink-covered fingers brushing them away, and her eyes widened, before settling into a joyous curve as she beamed at him. He withdrew, gaze flickering to the table. _I’m screwed,_ he thought, squinting. Everywhere he looked, goddammit, was the brightest sun.

\---

“Are you drawing him? Oh my god, you _are_ ,” Yachi gasped. “We can’t go on like this. We have to do something. You are going to die from the sickness of love, Tobio. Then what will I do? Who will be my partner in crime? _Who will help me replace all the birds in the office with pictures of Bokuto on Akaashi’s birthday?_ ” She flung her hand against her forehead dramatically. “Also, here,” she added. “Let me add some wings.”

They finished the sketch together. God, they were such stalkers.

\---

“U-um, hi! Are you Kageyama? The girl who works here said you liked flowers?” The florist from downstairs stood in the open door, a bunch of lilies clutched in his arms.

Kageyama bit back a curse. _Shit shit shit. He’s here and he’s so. Oh my god. He’s looking at me and he’s got crocuses and I- Oh my god. Hitoka why did you do this oh my god-_ he set his pen down firmly, to hide the shakiness of his hands. “Hey. That’s me. I do. And you mean Yachi?”

The man in the doorway smiled nervously. “Ah!  Yeah, she said that was her name. H-here, I cut the stems a little too short for a bouquet, but I thought you might like to have them to draw from, or something,” he finished, a little unsure.

“That’d be great. I love drawing plants. And so flowers, yeah,” Kageyama finished lamely. He reached out and took the flowers, trying not to let his eyes linger on the shorter man. He failed a little, noticing far too much the sharp line of their chin, the brightness of their wide eyes.

“Thank you,” he said awkwardly. “…You’re welcome.”

They both stood there for a moment, in silence. His heart thudding, Kageyama bit his lip, before asking his name. “Hinata Shouyou,” replied the shorter man, glancing around. He caught sight of the sketch Kageyama had been working on, i.e. the only thing standing between Hinata and Kageyama and Yachi’s creepy sketch of the other man at a distance. “Wow! This is amazing,” he exclaimed, peering closer, hand reaching out. Automatically, Kageyama snatched up the pile of drawings, then immediately regretted it when Hinata shrunk away. “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

The tattoo artist internally smacked himself in the face. “No, I’m sorry, you can look, that one was just- unfinished. Sorry. Sometimes I get weird about people seeing those,” he lied, helplessly. _Oh god, I am so, so sorry._

“Oh! I understand, sorry!”

“Uh, no, don’t worry. Here, these are some I finished earlier today,” he said hurriedly, taking out some earlier designs. There’d been a client in with a penchant for swans. At Hinata’s excited noises, Kageyama felt his face flush.

“Kageyama, can you draw something for me sometime? These are really beautiful,” he said in wonder, and turned his 1000-watt smile in the other man’s direction. Kageyama thought he might faint.

“…Sure.” “Awesome! I can’t wait.” Hinata hummed, taking another look at the drawings. Kageyama allowed himself another lingering look at him as he did so, and tried not to die inside.  

After a moment, the orange-haired man drew back. “Oops, I better go. I’ve been gone a while. I’ll see you later, Kageyama.”

“Ah, bye Hinata. Thanks again for the flowers.”

Hinata gave a wave, hand flapping wildly. “Any time! I mean, I’m not very good at this yet so you might be seeing more of me, um, I guess, if that’s okay?”

“…That’s fine. Come up whenever.” Eyes crinkling, mouth curving into an adorable smile, Hinata left.

Kageyama curled over his desk, head in his hands, trying desperately to scrub the metaphorical hearts from his eyes. _Fuck._ His eyes slid to the flowers on his desk. He picked up his pen again, and began to draw, the lilies filling the room with a soft, sweet scent. 

\---

“Sooo, Tobio. How’d it go? You didn’t scare him off, did you?” Yachi had perched herself on Kageyama’s desk, looking at him smugly.

“He gave me the flowers. I said thank you. He told me his name. It was fine.”

Yachi stared at him.

“…And he almost picked up the drawing I was working on and I snatched it away because it was the only thing covering our drawing of him.” He took a deep breath. “…then I lied about being nervous about people seeing my unfinished work and then I showed him other sketches and he asked me to draw something for him sometime and I said yes,” he finished, hand covering his face. Yachi gently pulled them away, and Kageyama opened his eyes, hesitantly. There were tears in her eyes, she was laughing that hard. He tried to pull away, but she gripped his hand tighter and held it to her cheek. “Oh, Tobio,” she gasped, giggles only just fading. “You dork.”

“…He also said he might be around more because he still stuffs up a lot with the flowers.”

 “Well, we’ve got lots to look forward to then,” she soothed, and kissed his palm. His heart stuttered, and flipped in his chest again when she smiled at him, warm and familiar.

She left the room after that, to check something in Akaashi’s room.

Kageyama didn’t see her hiding her face in her bag and screaming, her heart pounding and face flushing as she replayed everything she just did in her mind. But she didn’t let herself regret it, not any of it. Sure, it was embarrassing. But Yachi was done with waiting for the things she wanted.

\---

Hinata came by often after that. So often that Kageyama often wondered about his competence as a florist. When he asked Hinata about this, the other man waved the matter off, saying, “The owner is a good friend of mine. They’re very patient with me. Besides,” he paused. “They know the flowers are being put to good use here.” He gestured at the drawings which had started to fill Kageyama’s work space. Designs of blooming crocuses, sunflowers, roses and a crowd of other flowers. He raised an eyebrow at Hinata. “So, when are you going to let me design one for you? You were so enthusiastic about it the other time.”

“Soon,” Hinata deflected.

Kageyama hoped so too.

\---

One evening, Kageyama forgot his phone at the shop. Normally he would have just collected it in the morning, but he really needed a reference picture he’d taken that day.

Irritated, he drove back. After retrieving his phone, he noticed a light on in the florist. Confused, he peered through the window.

Asleep on the floor, propped up against the shop counter, was Hinata. Surrounded by and covered in cut flowers, he was softly snoring. And drooling.

The sight hurt made Kageyama’s heart ache.

So he banged on the window, jolting the other man awake.

“Hinata! It’s 11PM, you idiot!”

The other man glanced around sleepily, eyes widening when he saw Kageyama at the window.

He scrambled up, and moved to the door.

“…Hi, Kageyama,” he greeted, grinning sheepishly when Kageyama, frowning, plucked a stray daisy from Hinata’s hair. Kageyama also ignored how soft the orange locks felt under his fingers.

“…Come on. I’ll give you a ride home,” he said gruffly, turning. He froze when thin fingers circled his wrist.

“I thought you were going to ask what I was doing here,” Hinata commented.

He caught the fingers wrapped around his wrist in his own. “You’re exactly the kind of moron who stays so late at work practicing flower arrangement they fall asleep. I didn’t have to ask.”

The fingers squeezed back. Hinata allowed himself to be led to Kageyama’s car, locking the shop door on the way.

Hinata lived in a small apartment block 30 minutes by bus from the shop.

“Thanks for driving me all this way,” Hinata said, when they arrived.

“It’s fine,” he replied, quietly. Suddenly, the other man slung their arms around him, cheek pressing against his, soft hair brushing against his face. The hug smelt like flowers and felt like electricity, and then it was gone. 

Hinata jumped out of the car, running towards his building. “Goodnight, Kageyama!” He shouted, waving as he entered.

Kageyama dumbly raised a hand in farewell.

Even as he drove back, head hazy, all around was the heady scent of flowers.

When he got home, he called Yachi.

“Tobio wha…?” was the slurred reply from the sleepy girl. She slowly woke up as he related the events of the evening. Kageyama put his hand over the speaker when she started screaming, but he was smiling.

That night Kageyama dreamed of flowers, orange and gold, soft and warm and surrounding him from every side.

\---

Hinata liked to watch both Yachi and Kageyama work. Sometimes he would bring flowers up and practice arranging them in a spare corner of the shop. Akaashi had just shrugged and said he wasn’t going to complain about free fresh flowers for the shop.

Sometimes Yachi liked to help Hinata with this.

“Here, clip that a little shorter and put it here. And the hydrangeas here,” she directed, softly.

They stood back to admire their work. An impressive arrangement of dreamy blue, white and green hues; hydrangeas and baby’s breath stood before them. Hinata gazed at Yachi in wonder. “Why aren’t you a florist?!” he exclaimed. “When you arrange flowers they end up like ‘FWOOAAAAAH’!” He drooped. “When I do it they end up kind of like, ‘uuhhuhu’.”

Kageyama in the corner, muffled a laugh.  Yachi waved it off. ”I do think I have… a good eye for this sort of thing,” she said, absentmindedly. “But I love tattoos. And drawing. And this shop.”

She slung an arm around Hinata’s waist. “Besides, this is your thing now, Hinata. You’ve already gotten much better,” she said, honestly. The young man beside her made a distressed noise and stuck his face in her neck. She felt her face grow warm, as he mumbled, “I was sure I was never gonna get better.” He drew back. “Thanks, Yachi,” he said gratefully. “You’re welcome,” she replied, heart still thudding loudly.

As Hinata continued to gaze at the flowers, Yachi turned back to go to her desk. Kageyama caught her eye, giving her a thumbs up, smug look on his face. She rolled her eyes, and sat back down.

A minute later, Kageyama’s phone vibrated with a text from Yachi.

_I saw you staring. Next time you should join us._

He looked over at her desk. She appeared to be concentrating very hard on drinking a cup of coffee.

He replied.

_Fine. Maybe I will._

\---

One afternoon, Hinata turned up with no flowers, but coffee instead.

“I noticed you had a lot of customers coming up and down. You guys must be exhausted!” He announced, as he set down the coffees on a desk. Yachi made an inhuman noise as she ran for the coffee. She took a gulp, sighing in satisfaction, before flinging her arms around Hinata who hugged her back, laughing.

“Thank you, the savior of the afternoon,” she cooed. “Bringer of coffee and light to this dark, dark office.”

Kageyama hesitated, lingering at his desk. Yachi glared at him. He stepped over, surrounded them with his long arms in a tight hug. The two squeaked. He murmured his thanks and let go, slinking back to his desk with his coffee. He missed the dusting of pink on both their cheeks, as they glanced silently at each other.

Akaashi, in the corner, was having a hard time not laughing at his dorky employees.

\---

They learned that Hinata’s birthday was coming up, through the owner of the florist downstairs, Yamaguchi. The owner, with his milky-way freckles and gentle smile was a soothing presence, and he wandered into the parlour on Hinata’s day off.

“Kageyama, right? Hinata tells me you draw wonderful flowers,” he said, when Kageyama finished up with a client getting a tattoo of a dove.

“Only because you provide us with such nice flowers to begin with,” Kageyama replied, beginning to disinfect the chair. Yamaguchi laughed.

“I’m glad they’re being of use. I wanted to ask you about a flower design for myself.”

Surprised, Kageyama looked over. “Of course. We normally specialize in birds, but if you like my designs I’d be more than happy to do that for you.”

Talking through a design, Kageyama learned that while Hinata was still a little clumsy at his job, he was well loved by customers.

“They say that his arrangements make them feel young, and honest. Like the person who will receive them will understand what they’re trying to say,” he commented, when Kageyama asked about Hinata’s progress. Yamaguchi looked at Kageyama, and smiled. “That’s not easy to do. But that’s one of the reasons I hired him. He wears his heart on his sleeve, you could say. So try not to bump it, okay?”

Kageyama turned red. “I... of course.” He’s not sure what to say after that, but Yamaguchi just continues to examine a preliminary design.

They heard Yachi stifle a laugh. Yamaguchi turned, and addressed her. “By the sounds of it, that goes for you too. Please don’t hurt him.”

The parlour was suddenly quiet, and all that could be heard is the sound of choking coming from both Kageyama and Yachi. Akaashi’s face was pressed into a reference book, but his shoulders were shaking with mirth.

Yamaguchi broke the silence. “Anyway, I’ve got to go. Thanks for your time, Kageyama. I look forward to the appointment.”

Kageyama shook Yamaguchi’s hand nervously, and the other man laughed. “Sorry. I meant what I said but I’m not very good at this whole ‘if you hurt him I’ll hurt you’ thing. But I’ve always wanted to try it?” he said sheepishly. Kageyama let out the breath he was holding and the tension dissolved in the room. Yamaguchi waved at the others before ambling to the exit.

“By the way, Hinata’s birthday is next Saturday. Just so you know,” he mentioned, before closing the parlour door. 

Kageyama and Yachi resumed choking, and Akaashi finally intervened. “Alright, guys, it’s time to get back to work,” he said sternly, from behind his book.

They returned to prepping for the next appointments, freezing when he added, “And make sure to take him somewhere nice.”

Akaashi snuck a glance at their faces from behind the book.

Work was so much fun these days.

\---

They checked Hinata’s birthday plans with Yamaguchi.

They showed up at his apartment at 8AM. He opened the door, sleepy and soft in a loose t-shirt and pyjama shorts. Yachi shouted birthday greetings and Kageyama poked Hinata’s bedhead. Eyes wide, he slung his arms around them, and they wrapped themselves around his small form.

“You’re all warm from bed still, Hinata,” Yachi mumbled, tightening her arms around them. 

“You guys are here. You guys are here!” was Hinata’s excited cry, as he buried his face in Kageyama’s chest and held Yachi’s hand.

“Yeah. We are,” Kageyama said, a quiet smile on his face. He bent down to nuzzle at their heads, and they both grabbed at his face.

“Alright, alright. Hinata get changed. Let’s get going,” he grumbled, pushing their hands away.

“Breakfast picnic, breakfast picnic!” Yachi and Hinata chanted, as they dragged Kageyama up a hill at Yachi’s favourite park.

They ate fruit and pastries from the nearby bakery, and egg and bacon sandwiches Kageyama made early in the morning. They lay in the sun, and learned about each other. They learned how Hinata loved bike riding, but his was stolen a while ago and hadn’t got another one yet. They learn he had a little sister, whom he loved more than anything. They learned he moved here after a break-up, taking the opportunity to start anew when Yamaguchi offered him a job.

Hinata learned that Yachi used to be a graphic designer at her mother’s company. How tattoos were a part of her striking out on her own, following her own dreams instead of a legacy.

He learned that Kageyama was a good cook, particularly at Western food, and Hinata invited himself over for future dinners. He learned that Kageyama liked tattoos because they could mean everything, or nothing, but that he could make something beautiful for someone they could have forever. Tattoos, for Kageyama, were something to cling to. Something he knew he could always cling to.

Yachi and Hinata piled on top of him after this confession. Their weight forced the air out of his lungs, and when he breathed in, their closeness filled his head. The sun glowed behind the mess of their gold and orange hair, and Kageyama was _dizzy_.

\---

When the sun grew hot at midday, they reluctantly piled back into Kageyama’s car.

They dropped Hinata back at his apartment so that he’d be on time for his birthday gathering with his friends from home. He hugged them both, tight as he could, and they planted twin kisses on his cheeks. With a tomato red face, he waved goodbye as they drove away.

At dinner, his best friend Kenma was smug when Hinata told them about his morning.

Hinata hadn’t been able to stop talking about the hot tattoo artists (who were also best friends) that he had met at work. And kept bothering at work.

Kuroo smothered a laugh as Hinata gushed about Kageyama’s arms, and Yachi’s smile, and how hot all their tattoos were.

Kenma was just glad to hear they seemed to like Hinata just as much as he liked them.

\---

They invited Hinata over for dinner at Kageyama’s the following week.

Dinner was delicious, and Hinata ate his bodyweight in pasta, Kageyama and Yachi watching in wonder as food disappeared into his small frame.

They left Hinata for a moment in the dining room, to get the ice cream for dessert. After some frantic whispering they returned with the ice cream, looking a little nervous.

“Hinata.” Kageyama said, hesitantly.

Yachi continued for him. “You… have become really important to us these last few months. And we were wondering,” she paused, looking back to Kageyama.

He took a deep breath. “We were wondering… if you would like to date us. Um, both of us,” he said, his voice shaking.

The two of them looked at Hinata, who is frozen, eyes wide.

The moment stretched a little too long, and Kageyama freaked out.

He turned, swearing under his breath, moving to hide in the kitchen, he was just going to _die_ inside.

Hinata watched, in horror, as the boy he really, really liked started walking away. Kageyama, who had opened his grouchy exterior to Hinata, and let him see the deep warmth inside.

And there was Yachi, who held his hand when he made mistakes at work and sang songs with him in the car. The girl who he was also falling for, who was looking at him, her eyes saying, “Please, stop him.”  

He shouted after Kageyama. “No, no, no wait!”

Kageyama felt something on his leg. He looked down, and Hinata was on the floor, desperately clinging to his ankle.

“Please, Kageyama. I was just. Surprised,” Hinata said, nervously.

He stood up, clutching at the other man to haul himself up. Kageyama, frazzled, made a muffled noise that made Yachi laugh, despite her own nerves.

Hinata turned to them both.

“I like you guys. A lot. Both of you,” he looked at each of them pointedly. “So much that the feelings scare me sometimes.” He rubbed his eyes. “I’ve never had a relationship like this before. So I won’t know what I’m doing, at all,” he continued.

“But I would like to. Date you guys, I mean.”

He scrunched up his face, groaning. “This is so embarrassing! You guys! Say something!”

Yachi screamed. There was a thud as Kageyama collapsed to the floor, in deep relief.

Hinata grinned, and he and Yachi jumped on Kageyama. He pinched their cheeks gently, grumbling about the pain they always put him through. He heard them whispering to each other, and suddenly their faces were squished against his, lips in a clumsy three way kiss.

Yachi’s hair was silky, Hinata’s fluffy. Yachi smelt like sweet oranges, and Hinata like lilies. He pressed back, sparks running up his spine. They ran their fingers through his hair, and he was breathless.  

When they pulled back he lay there, in shock. The pair above him high-fived, and he groaned.  

“This relationship is going to kill me.”

Hinata dropped a soft kiss on his nose, and Yachi’s fingers slid around both of their hands.

The only thing louder than the thudding of Kageyama’s heart was their laughter, clear and bright; a burbling stream through a field of flowers.

Mind and heart full, Kageyama let the currents carry him away.

\---

The next day the three of them turned up early at the tattoo parlour, holding hands, Hinata in the middle. Akaashi, smiling, offered congratulations, and a few words.

“I expect that all three of you will continue to be professional while you’re here at work.”

“But I don’t work here—“started Hinata, before Kageyama clamped a hand over his mouth.

“Is that so?” replied Akaashi, raising an eyebrow. “Could’ve fooled me.”

Hinata blushed, while Yachi replied. “Thank you, Akaashi. We’ll keep things professional, don’t worry.”

Hinata returned downstairs to the florist below, and Kageyama and Yachi set things up for the day.

Kageyama had a lot of appointments with people requesting flowers that day.

\---

Hinata still came by the parlour a lot. He was getting better at his work though, and didn’t have as many flowers to discard.

But now they often left work together, piling on to the couch at one of their homes, squishing together to watch a movie or just nap.

They were still working things out, but every day with them had such a light that at times Kageyama felt exposed, his heart painful with affection for them. Like he had to close his eyes, the sun was so bright.

They held him close when he felt this way, and when he opened his eyes, they were there, and the glow had become soft and warm. _Orange and gold_ , he’d think. _Sunrise and sunset._

With time, his eyes would adjust to the light.

\---

“Kageyama, a word?” Akaashi’s smooth voice cut into his thoughts, and he glanced up at the other man. Before he could even twitch at the question, Akaashi soothed him, “You’re not in trouble. I was just wondering something.”

Kageyama raised an eyebrow questioningly. “Yes, boss?”

Akaashi raised an eyebrow back, but ignored the title. “I’ve noticed lots of people have been interested in your new designs, recently.”

The other man nodded. “Is… that a problem?” Akaashi shook his head. “I’m not here to police your artwork. Birds might be part of our brand, but I’ve never made restrictions and I’m not about to.” Akaashi straightened the papers on the table as he spoke. “You’ve always done good work, Kageyama. But your newest designs, the flowers? They are something else,” he paused. “Absolutely spectacular. So please keep doing them as much as you like.”

“That’s all?” Kageyama was incredulous. “That’s all,” was the simple reply, as Akaashi strode out of the room.

The dark haired man took a moment to consider his newest designs, before following his boss’ advice. As his thoughts wandered to the two people now always on his mind, he put the pen to paper again, and kept drawing. The flowers grew on the paper, watered by ink; fed by sunlight.

Not many people had seen Kageyama’s smile, but anyone who had, would say it looked best in the sun.

**Author's Note:**

> This actually ended up being way longer than I thought it would be. And there are more things I'd like to write that I just didn't have time to get to yet, so there might be follow up fics. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
